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3.97 AVERAGE
3.97 AVERAGE
This is more of a 3.5 and could easily be a 4.
While I enjoyed the story and world building, this book took me a while to finish. Not only for its length, but it just felt as though it dragged on. I suspect this could also be related to my current state of increased anxiety which led to a lack of focus, but a good book can usually turn that around.
Whether intending to do so or not, it brought some reflections on assistance with dying and how that might play out on a grand scale for me.
While I enjoyed the story and world building, this book took me a while to finish. Not only for its length, but it just felt as though it dragged on. I suspect this could also be related to my current state of increased anxiety which led to a lack of focus, but a good book can usually turn that around.
Whether intending to do so or not, it brought some reflections on assistance with dying and how that might play out on a grand scale for me.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
When Ehiru is tasked with collecting the life of ambassador Sunandi, he discovers instead a long thread of corruption that twines back to his childhood - and may overturn the world as he knows it.
What I liked - the complex world-building, the ancient Egyptian-inspired magic system, the villain, the themes of religion and truth
What I disliked - the often flat characters, the feel of small-scale stakes in a plot that is actually large-scale, the odd relationship between Ehiru and Nijiri
Buddy read with BH.
What I liked - the complex world-building, the ancient Egyptian-inspired magic system, the villain, the themes of religion and truth
What I disliked - the often flat characters, the feel of small-scale stakes in a plot that is actually large-scale, the odd relationship between Ehiru and Nijiri
Buddy read with BH.
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
N.K. Jemisin creates a world dark, complex and intricate. The magic is based on dreams and is different enough to make a reader pause and have to consider it deeply. The characters are written with depth and compassion, and are fully realized. They're put in a world we don't understand, and one they, also, don't fully grasp.
If you like your fantasy dark and deep, characters you can nearly see standing before you, and a plot that confounds, but delivers in the end, then The Killing Moon is for you.
If you like your fantasy dark and deep, characters you can nearly see standing before you, and a plot that confounds, but delivers in the end, then The Killing Moon is for you.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I liked this book but didn’t enjoy the book … if you know what I mean. The world building was super interesting, and the twists and turns of the plot were unexpected. The characters all felt fully formed, and though they filled specific roles they weren’t subject to flat depictions of their archetypes. Even the Prince who was undoubtably evil had a reason for some of his actions, with the “control” the priests kept over him by administration of the dream blood. There were excellent questions about morality and power, and at the end of the novel I still couldn’t decide who was the hero, or which belief system was the right one.
That said, some of the relationships were hard to read about. An apprentice in love with his master who was also like a father to him, and the one person with the most control over his life; Ehiru even told Samundi that her own similar father-figure/teacher could never abuse the power he held over her, and yet he abused the power he had over Nijiri by knowing Nijiri would Gather him with love.
It was also sometimes challenging to follow who everyone was; that could be attributed to the way I read the book, in small chunks versus sitting with the story for longer.
That said, some of the relationships were hard to read about. An apprentice in love with his master who was also like a father to him, and the one person with the most control over his life; Ehiru even told Samundi that her own similar father-figure/teacher could never abuse the power he held over her, and yet he abused the power he had over Nijiri by knowing Nijiri would Gather him with love.
It was also sometimes challenging to follow who everyone was; that could be attributed to the way I read the book, in small chunks versus sitting with the story for longer.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death, Death of parent, Murder
Three and half stars. Started off a bit slow for me and I think I’ve been spoiled by Jesmin’s other trilogy. Still good though.
World-culture-society building: excellent. Characters: moderately developed. Writing craft: serviceable.
In some places, this book seemed to draw momentum from a "horror factor" rather than substantive circumstances/character motivations. That said, I read this book looking for fantasy that draws from multiple/non-Western mythological traditions, and this book met that search with a convincing and complex system of religions, medicine, multi-cultural interactions, geography and architecture with many sources of inspiration, (so the author says in an interview at the end) from Egyptian mythology to the work of Freud.
In some places, this book seemed to draw momentum from a "horror factor" rather than substantive circumstances/character motivations. That said, I read this book looking for fantasy that draws from multiple/non-Western mythological traditions, and this book met that search with a convincing and complex system of religions, medicine, multi-cultural interactions, geography and architecture with many sources of inspiration, (so the author says in an interview at the end) from Egyptian mythology to the work of Freud.
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence
Moderate: Child death